Decorative space-saving vanity

ABSTRACT

A casing is provided with front and back sections, the latter of which is adapted to be fixed to a wall while the front section is hinged at the bottom thereof to the bottom of the back section to swing downwardly to a horizontal position to form a vanity table. The front of the back section is provided with a mirror, exposed with the front section in lower position, and the mirror is provided at the sides thereof with soft light bulbs recessed into the back section and adapted to be illuminated when the front section is in its lower position.

United States Patent Gilinger [54] DECORATIVE SPACE-SAVING VANITY [72]Inventor: Jean A. Gilinger, 6703 Oaklawn Way, Fair Oaks, Calif. 95628[22] Filed: Nov. 17, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 877,150

[52] US. Cl. ..312/223, 312/204, 312/224, 312/248 [51] Int. Cl. ...A47b77/08, A471) 17/04, A47b 67/02 [58] Field of Search ..312/223, 224, 227,245-251,

151 3,684,344 1. Aug. 15, 1972 1,864,599 6/1932 Linder ..312/223 X1,966,800 7/1934 Katzman ..312/223 X 2,301,730 11/1942 Mann ..312/223 XPrimary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Attorney-Alexander B. Blair [57]ABSTRACT I A casing is provided with front and back sections, the latterof which is adapted to be fixed to a wall while the front section ishinged at the bottom thereof to the bottom of the back section to swingdownwardly to a horizontal position to form a vanity table. The front ofthe back section is provided with a mirror, exposed with the frontsection in lower position, and the mirror is provided at the sidesthereof with soft light bulbs recessed into the back section and adaptedto be illuminated when the front section is in its lower position.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDms 15 1972 INVENTOR.

Jill/V 4. 6/10/65 BY WW4 03% Arum/MK BEST AVAILABLE COPY DECORATIVESPACE-SAVING VANITY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In houses having verysmall bedrooms,- and in such structures as mobile homes, there is littleroom for furniture, particularly including vanities for use by girls andwomen. The present invention overcomes this difficulty by providing anattractive vanity adapted to be folded into close proximity to a wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The device comprises two casing sections,namely front and rear portions, the latter of which is adapted to besecured against a wall. The front section is normally verticallyarranged and latched at its top to the back section and the bottoms ofthe sections are hinged together so that the front section may be swungdownwardly to provide a top horizontal surface to serve as a vanitytable. The base of the front section, when closed, may be provided witha bulletin board or with a picture or any other suitable decoration toenhance the appearance of the device.

Means is provided for limiting downward movement of the front section tooperative position and when moved to such position, it exposes a mirroron the front face of the rear section, and recesses at opposite sides ofthe mirror are provided with soft light bulbs to illuminate the personsitting before the vanity table. Cooperating switch elements arearranged between the adjacent faces of the sections, when closed, to cutoff the circuit to the light bulbs when the device is closed and toautomatically light the bulbs when the front section is in lowerposition.

The front section is provided in the top thereof with doors normallyclosing compartments, one of which may be used to receive curlers andother devices relating to the hair, while two smaller compartments mayserve as compartments for cosmetics, manicure supplies, etc. The doorsof the compartments are normally latched in closed position so that theywill not fall open when the vanity case is closed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a face view of the devicewith the front section closed;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the same with the front section shown inoperative position in dotted lines;

FIG. 3 is a face view similar to FIG. 1 with the front section in loweror operative position; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the front section in operative position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring particularly to FIG.2, the numeral designates the vanity as a whole comprising front andrear sections 12 and 14, respectively, hinged together at their loweradjacent edges as at 16 so that the front section 12 may swingdownwardly to the operative position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2.The tops of the sections are provided with cooperating latch devices 18to hold the vanity sections in closed position, as shown in FIG. 2.Means is provided for limiting the downward movement of the frontsection to a horizontal operative position and this usually will be doneby using at opposite sides of the device flexible elements which may bechains 20.

The face of the front section, when closed, is provided with a blankspace 22 which may be used for any utilitarian or decorative purpose.For example, the space may be used for a bulletin board or for a pictureof any desired type which will enhance the attractive appearance of thedevice. The front face of the rear section 14 is provided with a mirror24 (FIG. 3) at opposite sides of which the rear section 14 is recessedas at 26 to receive a plurality of soft light bulbs 28. The circuits forthese bulbs will be conventional and they are controlled by cooperativeswitch devices 30 (FIG. 1) and 32 (FIG. 3) which operate to cut off thecircuits for the light bulbs when the device is closed and to releasethe switch element 32 to illuminate the bulbs when the front section islowered to its horizontal operative position.

The bottom section is formed of side and back walls 34 and a dividingpartition 36 extending preferably from front to back of the bottomsection. At one side of the bottom section, a transverse wall 38 isprovided so that the bottom section is thus formed with a relativelylong compartment 40 and relatively smaller compartments 42, the latterof which are closed by covers 44 hinged to the adjacent wall 34 as at46. The larger compartment 40 is closed by a cover 48 preferably hingedto the wall 34 opposite the hinges 46, as at 50. These covers 44 and 48are provided with spring latches 52 to hold them in closed position whenthe front section is swung upwardly to closed position so that thearticles in the several compartments will not fall out.

The appearance of the device is improved and its utilitarian natureincreased by the provision above the device of a shelf 54 which may besupported as at 56 relative'to the rear section 14. This shelf may beused to support any desired articles which cannot be housed within theseveral compartments.

OPERATION When the device is closed, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 2,the space 22 may be provided with an attractive picture and thesurrounding-portions of the front section may serve as a frame for suchpicture. With the device closed, the light circuits will be broken andthe device appears as an ornamental attachment on the wall. When thevanity is to be used, the latch mechanism 18 will be released and thefront section 12 lowered to horizontal position as shown in dotted linein FIG. 2. Whatever articles may be desired to be used may be removedfrom the compartments 40 or 42 and the door or doors thereof closed,whereupon the top surfaces of the doors, walls 34 and division walls 36and 38, all of which are flush with each other, may be used as a vanitytable.

The lowering of the from section releases the switch element 52whereupon the lights 28 will be illuminated and will cast a soft lighton the face of the user so that her face will show up clearly in themirror 24. When a person has finished using the device, the toilet orother articles which have been used will be replaced in thecompartments, and the front section 12 will swing upwardly to closedposition and will be held in such position by the latch device 18. Anyarticles which cannot be housed in the compartments may be placed on theshelf 54, or this shelf may be used for knickknacks,

such as decorative ornaments or the like.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided animproved decorative space-saving vanity which accomplishes all of theobjects of this invention and others, including many advantages of greatpractical utility and commercial importance.

As various embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and asmany modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to beinterpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense. i

What is claimed is:

1. A vanity comprising separate front and. rear sections each havingrelatively large vertical and horizontal dimensions and'relativelyshallow but substantially equal depth, and arranged normally in face toface relation, said rear section being adapted for attachment to a wall,said front section hingedly connected to the lower edge of said rearsection and adapted to swing a maximum. of 90 to-a horizontal position,said rear section having a centrally positioned mirror, a recess openinginto said rear section adjacent each side of said mirror, a light sourcearranged in said recesses, said from section being hollow andpartitioned into a plurality of compartments, a hinged and latched coverfor each of said compartments forming a table top when in closedposition with said front section in horizontal position, and switchmeans for said light source arranged between said front and rearsections to extinguish said light source when said from section is inclosed position and to illuminate said light source when said frontsection is in horizontal position.

1. A vanity comprising separate front and rear sections each havingrelatively large vertical and horizontal dimensions and relativelyshallow but substantially equal depth, and arranged normally in face toface relation, said rear section being adapted for attachment to a wall,said front section hingedly connected to the lower edge of said rearsection and adapted to swing a maximum of 90* to a horizontal position,said rear section having a centrally positioned mirror, a recess openinginto said rear section adjacent each side of said mirror, a light sourcearranged in said recesses, said front section being hollow andpartitioned into a plurality of compartments, a hinged and latched coverfor each of said compartments forming a table top when in closedposition with said front section in horizontal position, and switchmeans for said light source arranged between said front and rearsections to extinguish said light source when said front section is inclosed position and to illuminate said light source when said frontsection is in horizontal position.